During an official visit to the Quirinal Palace on October 14, Pope Leo XIV met with Italian President Sergio Mattarella to reaffirm the “strong bond that unites the See of Peter with the Italian people.” According to Vatican News, the Holy Father’s remarks emphasized a message of shared history, moral renewal, and the urgent need for peace amid global turmoil.
A Shared History of Faith and Culture
Speaking as the Bishop of Rome and Primate of Italy, Pope Leo reflected on the centuries-long relationship between the Catholic Church and the Italian nation. He praised the “innate creativity of this people, united with their genuine and steadfast faith,” noting that Italy’s churches and bell towers stand as living symbols of beauty that is “artistic, certainly, but above all moral and human,” according to Vatican News.
The Pope expressed gratitude for Italy’s hospitality during the Jubilee of Hope and the conclave following Pope Francis’s death, commending the nation’s “beautiful witness of hospitality and organizational efficiency” shown to millions of pilgrims.
Promoting Human Dignity and the Common Good
Pope Leo XIV drew attention to the approaching centenary of the Lateran Pacts, calling it an opportunity to reflect on the close collaboration between Church and State. Both, he said, must continue to serve “the human person, whose inviolable dignity must always remain at the forefront of decision-making and action.”
He highlighted Italy’s long-standing commitment to defending “the most fragile and needy,” urging continued cooperation on social, humanitarian, and ethical fronts.
A Plea for Peace in a Wounded World
With conflicts raging across multiple continents, Pope Leo lamented “the grave suffering that wounds humanity worldwide and demands urgent yet farsighted responses.” Echoing the pleas of past pontiffs—Benedict XV before World War I, Pius XII before World War II, and St. Paul VI during the Cold War—he renewed “his heartfelt appeal that we continue to work to re-establish peace in every part of the world,” insisting that peace must rest on “justice, equity, and cooperation among peoples.”
The Pope commended the Italian government’s humanitarian outreach, including its support for children from Gaza receiving treatment at the Vatican’s Bambino Gesù Hospital.
The Family: Foundation of Hope
Turning to social concerns, Pope Leo XIV warned of Europe’s declining birth rate and called for renewed efforts to “give confidence to families—especially young families—so that they may look to the future with serenity and grow in harmony.” He urged both Church and civil society to protect family life as the cornerstone of stability and hope.
He also thanked Italy for its “attitude of openness and solidarity” in responding to migration and combating human trafficking, calling these “among the great challenges of our time.”
Rediscovering the Soul of Italy
Concluding his address, Pope Leo invited Italians to rediscover the moral and cultural treasures handed down by their ancestors. “Italy is a country of immense richness—often humble and hidden—and for that very reason, sometimes in need of being discovered and rediscovered,” he said, encouraging citizens to undertake this “beautiful adventure” so that, by rediscovering their roots, they might “face with confidence the challenges of the present and the future,” according to Vatican News.
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